The First Woman Cherokee Chief: Wilma Pearl Mankiller

by Patricia Morris Buckley, Aphelandra Messer (Illustrator)

Overview

Find out all about Wilma Pearl Mankiller, the first woman Cherokee chief whose image appears on the U.S. quarter, in this Step 3 Biography Reader.

In 1985, Wilma Pearl Mankiller became the first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. She had to convince her people that the chief should be the best person for the job, man or woman.

Before the English came to what is now the United States, Cherokee women and men shared the leadership of the tribe. This created balance. But the English colonists told the Native People that men should be in charge.

It stayed that way for many years, until Wilma Pearl Mankiller made history. She used the concept of gaduji, of everyone helping each other, to make the Cherokee Nation strong.

Step 3 Readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots and popular topics—for children who are ready to read on their own.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593568507
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	02/07/2023
Series:	Step into Reading Book Series: A Step 3 Book
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	270,097
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.20(d)
Lexile:	640L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

PATRICIA MORRIS BUCKLEY is a member of the Mohawk Nation. She has been writing professionally for more than thirty years, first as a journalist and then for children. She is an elementary school librarian, SCBWI regional advisor, avid reader, writing teacher, and mom. Visit nativeamericankidlit.com to find out more.

APHELANDRA is an illustrator of Oneida and Filipino descent. She is a senior designer at Albert Whitman & Company who plays sports when it's warm and video games when it's cold.

Editorial Reviews

This work is historically accurate on an underrepresented topic in the curriculum.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

02/01/2023

Gr 1–3—For many years, the Cherokee nation lived harmoniously with men and women taking equal responsibility and leadership over the tribe. Once European settlers arrived to Cherokee lands, they convinced the tribe that leadership positions were only to be held by men. Wilma Pearl Mankiller was born in 1945 in Oklahoma, on Cherokee land, and lived there for a long time with her family. Her father was eventually pressured to leave and move the family to the city. It took many years, but eventually Mankiller realized that her mission in life was to protect Native Americans' rights within the United States. In 1987, she became the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation. Written in simple language, this easy reader is an appropriate biography for younger elementary grade students and also serves as a wonderful introduction to Indigenous culture and the movement to restore rights to these tribes. The illustrations are cartoonlike and will appeal to young readers, but there is an actual picture of Mankiller embedded in the mix. This is an easy-to-read book that serves as a reminder to stand up for the rights of cultures and genders. VERDICT Recommended for purchase in a school or public library, this work is historically accurate on an underrepresented topic in the curriculum.—Kristen Todd-Wurm

School Library Journal